INDIA EXPRESSES QUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR A TSUNAMI

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001074 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAID EFIN CE IN SUBJECT: INDIA EXPRESSES QUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR A TSUNAMI COORDINATION GROUP REF: STATE 18955 ¶1. Mission presented reftel points on the formation of a tsunami coordination group to the MEA which, on February 10, SIPDIS responded with a non-paper (the text of which is in paragraph two) in support of such a group, provided its approach is multilateral, and focused on organizing a donor conference in Spring 2005. We take it as a positive sign that the GOI is willing to engage with us to facilitate coordination among the donors. ¶2. Begin verbatim text: -- India had participated in the Core Group set up following the Tsunami as an effort to develop more effective joint action with the US, Australia, and Japan initially and, thereafter with Canada and Netherlands in providing emergency aid and assistance to countries affected by the Tsunami. -- We have taken note of the US proposal for India to join other donor nations, World Bank, ADB and the UN Development Group to form a Tsunami Coordination Group. -- We agree that, in order to be effective, the primary objective for a Tsunami Coordination Group should be to facilitate coordination of efforts by the different donors towards reconstruction and rehabilitation in the Tsunami affected countries and quick disbursement of pledged assistance. -- We, therefore, support a general conference in spring 2005 to coordinate positions between the donor nations and countries affected by Tsunami. -- We believe that individual donor events on a country-specific basis would be less in consonance with the required approach and objectives of such a Tsunami Coordination Group. -- India would endorse a Tsunami Coordination Group for the reconstruction phase on the same principle as behind the setting up of the Core Group following the Tsunami. -- India has already initiated the process of providing reconstruction assistance on a bilateral basis to countries affected by the Tsunami in its neighborhood, in particular Sri Lanka. 10.02.2005 New Delhi. End text. ¶3. When USAID raised this with SK Chattopadhay, Joint Secretary for Disaster Management at the Ministry of Home SIPDIS Affairs (MHA),he remarked that the GOI Planning Commission is already coordinating with UNDP, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank on the elaboration of a reconstruction program for affected areas in India. MULFORD